Once upon a time,Harry Potterwas synonymous with Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson; with themes of love beating fear, tolerance and acceptance, and righting social wrongs; and with being a safe place for the underrepresented, disenfranchised, and otherwise outcast folks of modern society. Now, theHarry Potterfranchise is synonymous withJ.K. Rowling’s expressed transphobic beliefs, and what was once a safe place has become one rooted in controversy. It is impossible for anyHarry Pottertitle to make a clean break from Rowling, but perhaps the newly announcedHarry Potter: Quidditch Championscould be something be a slight break from her beliefs.
Hogwarts Legacycemented itself as one of the biggest games of 2023, as it fulfilled a years-long dream of a proper, well-made Harry Potter RPG set within the walls of the illustrious Hogwarts Castle. However, it was rooted in controversy in the months leading up to its launch, its actual release, and for several weeks thereafter. Perhaps the fervor has died down now, as many move on from it, but it put many longtime fans in terrible positions. Some didn’t care, but some didn’t want to support Rowling, some wanted to enjoy this childhood safe place but were wrecked with guilt, and even one, at least,Hogwarts Legacydev didn’t play it.
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Furthermore, the rechristened Max streaming service isremaking theHarry Potterseries, with each book representing one season. J.K. Rowling will be an executive producer on the show, and this news has had a mixed reception. With the novels and movies being considered classics, but well-made classics at this point, little could seemingly be accomplished with a new series based on them exactly…except for Rowling reasserting thatHarry Potteris hers. That is bound to leave a sour taste in many fans' mouths, even those who reportedly do not care about J.K. Rowling’s various controversies, but it takes the identity of that franchise from Radcliffe, Grint, and Watson, all of whom have shared support for trans folk to some degree.
Many fans may be in need of a break from Rowling but not the franchise, andQuidditch Championscould be just that.
Quidditch Champions May Narrowly Dodge J.K. Rowling’s Anti-Trans Beliefs
Quidditch Championsis an online multiplayer gamebased onHarry Potter’s invented sport, Quidditch. Fans are pretty familiar with its rules and roles: two teams of chasers, beaters, a keeper, and a seeker plays against one another using four balls: a quaffle, two bludgers, and a Golden Snitch. That’s it, it’s pretty much that simple.
Quidditch Championswill feature customization based on the variousHogwarts Houses, perhaps expanding to teams outside that, but that customization is perhaps the most deeply rooted the game will be in the actual franchise. As a multiplayer title, it’s not expected to have a deep or engaging story, if one at all, and that creates a small break between the sport and the creator.
After all,Quidditch was highly demanded inHogwarts Legacybut skipped over. That shows how the two can exist independently. Quidditch, in fact, is a real-world sport played by some folks the world over, albeit with changed rules. IfMadden NFLand other sports games can largely skirt real-world controversies, there’s little reason this one cannot. With a barebone story structure (but deep multiplayer elements),Quidditch Championscan perhaps be a way for fans to enjoy the franchise again, if not guiltlessly then at least less burdened.
Of course, no matter what, some folks will boycottQuidditch Championsbecause it is related toHarry Potter. That is entirely valid and, for many, the right choice for their own mental health. For those more conflicted, perhaps they’ll find some solace in chasing a Golden Snitch instead of dealing with disheartening controversies.
Harry Potter: Quidditch Championsis in development for PC and unspecified consoles.
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